Because Hunger Is Fun, Of Course
by Living.Like.A.Boss
Summary: Being an Omega in District 12 was…difficult. But getting selected for the Hunger Games was way worse. What luck Arthur had! FrUKUS Love Triangle.
1. Prologue

**Because Hunger Is Fun, Of Course**

**Summary: **Being an Omega in District 12 was…difficult. But getting selected for the Hunger Games was way worse. What luck Arthur had! FrUKUS Love Triangle.

**Warning(s): **Characters might be OOC, A/B/O Dynamics

**Author's Notes: **This story will be set in the Hunger Games Universe. However, it will _not_ follow the storyline. I'll be using some elements of the original plot but other than that, well, not really. Even some of the game rules will be different – especially since this is set in the A/B/O world. As for the pairings, I have the end pairing in mind so there will be no poll this time. Although feel free to share with me your guesses, from the roles I put them in it might be obvious to some. No promises that I'm following the Hunger Games' Pairings though. For now, enjoy the drama of a love triangle.

* * *

_Prologue_

One thing was certain. Arthur could no longer afford to be weak.

Tears streamed down his face, his hand tightening around his younger brother's hand. Their mother stood in front of them, body shielding them from the Alpha officer, who informed them in a robotic voice that their father, along with their three older brothers have died in a mine explosion. Unfortunate casualties, he said.

This left their household Alpha-less. Which was very, _very _bad. Their family did not even have a Beta…who was going to work? Omegas weren't allowed in the mines. Most people would never give an Omega work. Not because they were bad workers per se, but because it was not right for an Omega to work in their society. Few jobs were available for Omegas and most of them…Arthur shivered. _That _type of work was for the desperate.

But they might just be there. Even at the young age of eleven, Arthur could understand all this, thanks to all the discussions his father had had with him.

And that was just thinking of the practical effects. Emotionally, Arthur felt exhausted. His father was—_had been_—a great Alpha. Even though Arthur was an Omega, he had not been left out when his father taught his brothers how to hunt. But while his elder brothers' had been taught how to use knife and their pure strength to bring the animals down, Arthur was handed a bow and arrow and was taught how to shoot. And he loved it. Not only was it a long-range weapon that kept him from harm's way, he turned out to be quite good at aiming, always managing to bring down the game with one or two arrows. Of course, along with that he learnt how to fish and gather edible plants but hunting with a bow—specially made for him by his father—gave him such a _rush._

But now he was just _gone._

His brothers too. They haven't been the greatest of brothers but they were still his _brothers._ And as Alphas, they had been protective of him, overprotective even. They had managed to not get chosen for any of the Hunger Games, even after entering their names the maximum number of times to get more grain for the family (which their parents had been strongly against), and then they were just _gone_. Killed off by an explosion.

How were they going to survive now? How was his mother dealing with this? Her mate and three sons were dead—could she provide for them while she suffered from the depression losing a mate usually brought?

Not that Arthur doubted his mother's abilities. She used to learn how to mash herbs and provide medical care when she was young, in her parents store before she mated with Arthur's father and moved to the Seam. But still… Arthur was worried.

No matter what though, Arthur would help her. Even if he didn't have to, he _wanted _to. His family…his family didn't deserve for this to happen to them. They deserved better and Arthur wanted to give them better.

Staring down at his seven-year-old brother, he knew that he wanted to protect him. Just like how his brothers did for him.

But now the question was _how?_ How was he, a young Omega, going to do this?

It was a hard question. But for now, they grieved, crying in each other's arms as the unforgiving day came to a close.


	2. Hunting

_Chapter One—Hunting_

As soon as the sun began to rise in District 12, Arthur went straight to the fence that separated the District from the woodlands. It was supposedly there for their 'protection', to keep wild, dangerous animals out. But Arthur knew better. He knew that it was there to keep them in. There was no dangerous animals out there, after all.

After looking around to ensure no one was watching, he sneaked through the small hole in the fence. Once he was through, he broke out into a run. The fence was technically supposed to always be electrified but Arthur had found out long ago that that was just more bull the Capitol fed to them. And because of the wear-and-tear, as well as there being no efforts to maintain the wired fence, it was easy to pass through.

He went straight to the place he hid his bow and arrow (below a bunch of leaves and dead matter). The moment he retrieved it, he slowed in his pace before stopping entirely. It was time to be focused; it was time to hunt.

Arthur has been doing this for two years now. Going into the woodlands to hunt, fish and collect water. Most of the food would end up going to his family, but when there were sufficient extras, Arthur would go to the Hob, the Black Market of District 12, to sell off the remaining game. That would at least allow him to purchase other necessities and sometimes, very rarely, a luxury or two. Last year, he had bought a bit of fabric and thread, and had embroidered a shirt for Peter for his birthday. He could only afford that type of thing once in a blue moon though. It would foolish of him to squander away money if it weren't for special occasions.

Hunting was not enough, however. Ever since he turned twelve, he had taken tesserae for each member of his family, allowing his name to be entered three extra times in the Reaping in exchange for a very meagre amount of oil and grain ration every month. Just right after his father and brothers had died, Arthur had struggled to find a way to keep his family going. His mother had been grieving, as a result of the death of her mate—the strain of a broken bond was painful at best and life destroying at worst—and had been, excuse his language, useless. The days leading up to his twelfth birthday had him hoping against all hope that he would survive until then, so he could claim tesserae and save himself and his family from starvation. During that time, he had tried hunting but a lot of the time; he came home with only a few squirrels and nothing else. Barely enough to support a family of three. Back then, berries was a huge part of their diet and even with that, it wasn't enough. So, Arthur had given most of the food to his brother and mother, living constantly with a hollow stomach.

Arthur never liked thinking about that time. Their present life wasn't great but compared to then…it was a huge improvement. At least now, they had a steady source of sustenance. Arthur still resented his mother because of what he had had to go through. It hadn't been her fault and she was still suffering from the loss today but Arthur wished that she had at least been there for them. Arthur and Peter had been grieving too.

Arthur's ears perked up as he heard the shuffling of leaves and a small smile widened on his lips. He adjusted his arrow, pulling back the string ever so slowly and turned around, prepared to shoot his prey.

So he was surprised when instead of a deer or fowl, he saw a young boy about his age, trying to walk around stealthily but failing miserably. Arthur sighed in disappointment before a thought struck him: what was the boy doing in here? In the two years he's been here, he hadn't noticed someone else coming in.

The other boy hadn't noticed him yet—and as Arthur sniffed the air, he noted that from the lack of scent that the boy was a Beta. Good, that meant that the boy wouldn't be able to sense him easily. Arthur kept his arrow and decided to follow the boy, so curious he was.

He tiptoed along, hiding behind trees as he stalked the wandering boy. The Beta did not seem to be hunting; he didn't look to have any weapons of him.

Arthur wanted to get a better look so he creeped out of the foliage, accidentally stepping on and snapping a twig. Before he knew it, he had a small handgun pointed his way. Arthur cursed under his breath. How bloody unlucky was he?

"Put down your bow," the Beta demanded as he inched closer to Arthur. Soon, the gun was so very close to Arthur's head. Arthur gulped. He's never seen a real gun before; the Capitol banned weaponry a long time ago, to prevent any chance of another uprising happening. Unlike a bow and arrow, it was almost impossible to make a gun. His father had told him stories about this strange weapon, how it could kill multiple people without the shooter needing any aiming talent. And now, Arthur was at the end of one.

Arthur slowed put his bow onto the ground and extended his hands in front of him; a gesture of surrender.

The Beta asked with a firm voice, "Who are you? What are you doing here and _why _were you following me?"

"I'm here for the same reason you are," Arthur made sure to not give a straightforward answer, just in case the boy worked for the Capitol. How else could he have gotten that gun? "And I was just curious. I didn't mean any harm."

"Oh really?" The Beta said, lowering his gun. "So you're here to hunt?"

Arthur nodded.

The Beta suddenly smiled. He offered his hand to Arthur, which Arthur hesitantly took. "So you ain't a Peacekeeper, right?"

Arthur looked offended for a moment. "Of course not! Do I even look the part?"

The Beta shrugged. "You never know. Can never be too careful."

Well, at least Arthur could agree with that.

"So, you never answered my question. What's your name? I'm Alfred F. Jones!"

_What's with that 'F'? _Arthur wondered absentmindedly before answering, "Arthur Kirkland. Nice to meet you."

* * *

After that awkward bump of a meeting, Alfred and Arthur struck up a conversation.

"So, that's a good-looking bow," Alfred commented, staring at Arthur's bow and arrow with a look of longing in his eyes.

"Well, it's good for hunting," Arthur replied. "But probably not as good as your gun. How did you get that anyway? You can't just make a gun or bullets. Not in the way you can make a bow."

"Oh yes! This gun is pretty darn handy. Helps me bring down dangerous prey," Alfred said, a prideful look on his face.

_Wow, _Arthur thought. _He has quite a big ego for a Beta. _

"Can't use it too often though. I got it from my father and he got it from his father, who got it from his mother… It's been in my family for generations. I'm the first one to use it since the…uprising. Have a very limited number of bullets… I have blueprints on how to make more bullets, more guns—but not the material…" Alfred continued.

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do when I run out. My father never taught me how to use anything else…"

Alfred seemed less cheerful now and Arthur decided not to pry. It was probably a very sensitive subject for him.

"I could teach you how to use a bow and arrow," Arthur offered without thinking. "And I'm not great with a knife but my father taught me a few techniques."

"Really?" Alfred beamed. "You'll do that?"

Yes, for some reason, Arthur was willing to do so. The other boy just seemed so pitiful. And something told him that like him, Alfred had lost his father. He could be in the same position as Arthur was in…back then. And Arthur knew that he would have appreciated if there had been someone there to help him through that tough point in his life.

"Of course. I think if we worked together, we could get more food. It's not for you, it's for me!"

Alfred laughed. "Thank you!"

On that day, Arthur gained a new hunting partner.

…And also a friend.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This story has quite a bit of time jumps. So, just a heads up, okay?


End file.
